Detachable freight carrying device



1, 950 l H. RFJARVISV 2,516,881

' mmcmam FREIGHT CARRYING DEVICE Filod Feb. 24, 1948 '5 Sheets-Shet 1 V INVENTOR. HAROLD R. JA fiV/S Aug. 1, .1950

I H. R. JARVIs PETACHAQLE FREIGHT CARRYING DEVIQE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 34. 1948 INVENTOR. HAROLD R. JARV/S ATTORNEY H. R JARVIS 01-11mm FREIGHT CARRYING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 24, 194$ INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Aiig'. 1; 1950' H. R; JARVIS DETACHABLE'IFREIGHT CARRYING DEVICE 'S SheetS-Sheer 4 Fiied Feb; 24, 1948 um i IlllillIlIlH time.

vIIIIII'IA KS Wa m M m 0 P. w w '4 0 ny A M m Aug. 1, 1950 H'I-R JAR-VIS 2,516,381

Dimer-mam mmcmymmis pEvIcE Filed Feb. 24, 194

7, 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 V INVENTOR. HAROLD R. JARVIS "QM a A T TOR/V5 Y Patented Aug. 1, 1950 PATENT creme 1i This invention relates t to improvements in freight loawrying vehiciesy 'suchr; as trucks, railroadiearsnairplanesiand shipsyhaving detachable freight-'carryingand freightloadinggunitsz Moreparti'cularl'y; this inventionr'relates to adetachiable' freight-carrying t; unite: including; a i mechaa nism for'uloadirigitand wuniloading. Still: more particularly this. vention relates tto arselfecon tamed "mechanical .iLfreight carrying izandfialoadmg device'vwhich operates asatisractorily "to v'transfer.

a 16a between a vehi'cle and a dock eventwhere.

thevehiuledrame bediandrlthe loading sdockrare at diflerent heightsl Freight-"carrying andtransferring devices here;

toforein-use have haninany disadvantagesrw For:

and :have required -special auxiliary equipment for their operation.

One" further" problem which has prevented widespread use of detachable freight oarrying units has 'ioeenthat thev-hate required platforms which are heavy; expensive, and limited their 1158;

Animp'ortant object oft'he inventionis to pro vide a-"freight-carrying device of; seli contai'ned construction that one than, unassisted and without special machinery at the transfer points',1 canload and unloadi'thedetachable; freight earr'ying units onto or off-of the-vehicle.

Another object of :the invention is tdprovid'e' a, freight-transferring device 1 by means of which load-unit pallets canfbi leaded andnnlda'dedand fii zed sinplace on a truck; railroad car, airplane, on-qship' b'y one man using equipment which can bercarriediirithe vehiclel Another important object of thel invention is, to. i provide. loading. machinery which" comprises aiminimum number of lightweight mam; mov;

inghgatloadmunit omandoff .thewv ehicle and for.

holdingit.steady thereonvduringfitransportf j I,

Aiurthenobject.ofltheinventionis to provide zaoiaims. (o1. 214 43.12)

a loading and unloading device which wi1l=operate 1- successfnlly swithoutxtherneed for the 1 driver toialign'ithe vehiclemexactly.with the freight-receiving. .dock.

Another ObTjGQtTOf? the: invention is to provide an interchangeable; freight-carrying device which permits each unit to bedoadedorunloaded without any-auxiliary. apparatus 2 on the. platform? A further object ot th'e invention :is to provide a freight-loading or transferring device which will give satisfactory results when there are substantialdifferences in heightbetween the re-. ceiving or loading dock and the vehicle bedn Another object of the invention is to provide a freight-loading or transferring device in which interchangeable dollies, useful in themselvesfor intra-warehouse transportation, can be usedfas load unit pallets.

Another object of' the inventionis to provide a"simple -and compaot mechanism which functions as a-1ock to hold the f. eight-carrying plat form in place on the-vehicle diningtransport, and functions as par-tot atransfer ramp during loading and unloading operations.

Other objects and advantages of this inven tionwvillbecome apparent from the following he scription of a preferred enihoo entof this invention. Although this embodiment is described in detail in accordance with U. S. Revised Stat utes section 4838, it is not intended thereby to narrowly limit the claims, which are intended to include in their terms other materials, elements,

andrelatidnships well known in the art.

Fig. 3is a .view inelevation and insection taken along the"1ine.III-'-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. .4is \a view in perspectiveof a movabla flexible guide rack and suspended above it a rail of the type Which carries theload-supporting platform, showing .j ab1ock" and notch structure by which the .rack and rail may; be keyed" for movementtogether.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a portion of the device in the vicinity of a lowered connecting track which serves to join a detachable, auxiliary guide track to one of the permanently-installed main guide tracks;

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation and in section along the line VI--VI in Fig. 5, but showing a flexible guide rack partly in the main track, which is level, and partly in the auxiliary and connecting tracks, which are upwardly inclined and lead to a level higher than the vehicle bed;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but the auxiliary and connecting tracks are inclined downwardly and lead to a level below the level of the truck bed; the level position of the platform-supporting rail is shown in solid lines, and its inclined position is shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of a connecting track and a portion of an auxiliary track joined thereto;

Fig. 9 is a view in perspective of the two tracks of Fig. 8 unlinked and moved apart to show the linkage means by which they can be joined, the

away to show its interior structure;.

Fig. 10 is a view in elevation and partly in sec-.

tion showing the linkage of the same two tracks; the left-hand or auxiliary track is shown in full lines and its position at the beginning of the linking operation just after its pivot pin has been placed in the slot in the connecting track, and its final linked position of Fig. 8 is shown in dotted lines; 5

Fig. 11 is a view in section along the line XI-XI in Fig. '10, the tracksbeing in their linked position;

Fig. 12 is a view partly in section along the line XII-XII in Fig. 10, the tracks again being shown in their linked level position;

Fig. 13 is a detail view in elevation of a connecting track locked in its upper position where it holds the load-supporting platform steady with respect to the main track; and

Fig. 14 is a view in perspective of a bracket or latch of the type which is on the load-supporting platform and in which the cam of the connecting track is locked in Fig. 13.

In general, this invention comprises a freighthandling device for mechanically moving a standardized load-supporting platform between two positions, as between a vehicle and a loading dock. The platform is used as a unit-load pallet and preferably has retractable casters so that it can also be used as a warehouse dolly. Its base includes a plurality of parallel, spacedapart, bottom rails which can be keyed for linear,

movement with a corresponding plurality of flexible racks. The racks, in turn, .are adapted to be synchronously propelled by spaced driving means, such as geared wheels, along restraining guiding grooves in the upper surface of a set of parallel tracks. Each groove is open at thetop and includes an upper narrow 'neck portion within which the rail .moves and a lower wider channel portion in which the racks move. Three kinds of tracks are employed, all'of them similarly grooved: main tracks'secured acrossthe body of the vehicle, connecting tracks pivoted adjacent each end of each main track and serving as a continuationthereof, and auxiliary tracks which can be joined to or'separated from the connecting tracks, The groove pattern constrains the racks and guides them even around the vertex of the angle formed when the con-- necting and auxiliary tracks are inclined with respect to the main tracks. The keying means on the racks enables them to propel the platform up or down an incline so that the device may be used for transferring the platform between substantially different levels. When the platform is in transporting position on the vehicle, the auxiliary tracks may be removed, and the connecting tracks may be swung up to a position perpendicular "to the main' tracksandi locked there to hold the loaded platform steady during transport.

In considering the specific embodiment now to be described in detail, it should be understood that although the device is illustrated in connection with a truck l0, it can be adapted with a few changes for use on a railroad car, airplane, ship, or still other type of vehicle. When using it on trucks or railroad cars, a convenient size for the load-supporting platform I l is about eight feet long by six feet wide. A platform ll of this size isbest placed with its long dimension set crosswise of the truck l0. Three of these units may be set side by side on a truck having an" eighteen-foot bed or four units may be similarly arranged on a standard tWenty-four-foot trailer.-

The platform I l is also a warehouse dolly with retractable casters [2 at each corner,"as shown in Fig. 3. The caster wheels l2 are supported by swivel frames I3 whose upper pivot members I.

fit in sockets 15 in the lower end of rectangular blocks [6. Each block [6 is slidable within a hollow guide member I! fixed on an outside wall l8 of the platform H The block I6 has a central threaded bore l9 which rides on the screw thread of a vertical rod 20. At the top of the'rod 20 a bevel gear 2! is keyed, to mesh with another.

bevel gear 22 on an axle 23, mounted for free rotation in the brackets 24 fixed to the wall l8.

Each axle 23 may control two rods 20 and two casters 12, as shown in Fig. 3. A crank handle or power tool' (not shown) may be-attached to either of the axles keyed ends 25 for rotation of the axle 23 and raising or lowering of the wheels.

Fig. 4) the rail tongue 32' is recessed bya plurality of transverse spaced notches 34 which engage a corresponding plurality of spline blocks 3.5, on the upper surface of the rack 33. The. notches 34 are somewhat longer than the blocks 35, so that when the rack 33 turns around the vertex of an angle (see Figs. 6 and '7) and the distance between the blocks becomes shorter, there is still sufficient clearance to permit relative movement. of the notches up and down over the blocks as the platform shifts relatively to the racks.

.Each flexible rack 33 preferably comprises a thin strip 36 of spring steel, somewhat wider than either the rail 30 or the blocks 35 which are mounted on the upper surface of the steel stripi To the steel strips lower surface a resilient cushioning strip 3'lis secured, and to the cushions lower surface is secured a gear-tooth type chain 38, known in industry as a Morse chain. The

amazes:

51: means which cancarry 'alongsthe rail 'fll and the load-supporting platform l l.

Eachof the racks 33"-is-designed' to fsli'de in' and be guided by a-groove 40"inthetopsurfaces of "main, connectinggandauxiliary tracks M, 42, 5t and 43, respectively. Preferably *the groove -40 is: shaped like an inverted T, havinga narrowneck portion 44 in which-the rail 30*canmove and a wide restraining'channel po'rtion45 inwliich the rack 33 moves. The shoulders -45 oneitlrerside of the narrow neck serve to restrict theupward movement of the'strip 36, while the'blocks 35 and rail tongue 32 move along inside the narrow neck portion 44, theflanges 3l resting *either just above or on the upper surface-of *the tracks.

The main tracks dlyare securely fixe'd transversely across thetruck frame Ill= (see-=Fig. 2) andlare steadied near each end by cross sp acer s 50. Adjacent each end a' drive axle 5 his jour naled through the-pair oftracks lli below the bottom of'the groove' lll. Each'end of each traek 4! is inwardly recessedbyaverticahslot 52 in which fits a drive vgear' 53, -apai-r*ofwhich are keyed to each axle 5| to'mesh witli the chain 38 and drive the racks 33. the upper portionofeach gear 53'extendsslightly above the level ofth'e floor of the groove 40. As shown in Fig. 5, eachflgear 53-bears a central cir-' cumferential groove 54 which permits passage of the central linking member ofthecha-intll.

The power which drivesthe gears53 and moves the racks 33 is supplied through removable, portable reduction-gearbox 55. The box55 is supported by the axle 5| andia'stud 56 projecting from the side offatleast oneof the main tracks 4!. The box 55 is. preferably madesymmetrical, so that it can fitcneitherend, A panel fixed sockets 5'], each of which can fitaroundthe studs 36, are symmetrically disposed, one on each side of a central rotating socket:5B.whichcan be looked around a keyed end 59 of the axle .51. Thesocket 58 is connected through a train offlgearsWnot shown), to an inputshaft 60 whose'socket BI is mounted on a universal joint 62: Ahan'dgcrank or the keyed end of a portable rotating tool (neither of whichare shown) may be insertedin the socket 6i and used to, drive the twotracks 33 at identical 'speedsalong inside the wide portion 45 of the groove 43. i i L' The connecting tracks 4Zare.piv0tally secured to the axle 5| by its end bracket/s; "3 on each side of each end of themain tracks 4!. Whenswung up perpendicularly (see Fig: 13) each connecting track 42 Away be used tolock a corner of the load platform I l securely so as toprevent its displacement along; themain tracks while the vehicle is moving. Forthis purpose, an L-loracket H (see Fig; 14) is bolted tothebotton'i and edges of the platform l1 adjacent each end of the rails at; Theuprightarm 'ltof*tlie bracket1i has a forwardly-proj ecting tongue 13" which fits in the-hollow M.- of 'the connecting track 42 and helps prevent swaying. To'tl'ie frontend ofthe L bracket ll is secured a forwardly-projecting cam-faced latch plate 14. Journaledforkfree rotation in the connecting track is a short rod-15 to which a discwlfi is keyed: at a point off the center-of thadiscr The inside endofthe rod 15 is perforated andreceives aloose fittingi handle ll with enlargedstop ends-J8. When the connecting track 42 is raisedto the positionshown in Fig. 13 it may be locked the-re by turning the handle 11 forcing the eccentrically-mounted wheel 16 1 down against the cam surface of the plate TM The connectingtraob 42 a released For that purpose at strengthen the juncture.

by rotating the handle ll in theother direction" so as to lift the wheel 16 out of enagagement with the cam surface 14.

Whenthe connectingtrackdz is lowered into as it engages beneath the curved shoulder 46 of the connecting track, and it then follows the in-- clinedpath. To assist the rack 33' in making anupward turn a roller 8!! is supported with itsuppersurface tangentialto the flooraof the groove Anion stub shafts 8i journaled in;the.= brackets'lt. When the track 42 is upwardly ill--. clined, the Morse chain 381-oomes against the rollertll andslides over itand onto the floor of the guiding groove 43.

The'connecting track? 32 is bifurcated at its outside end to provide a socketfiil, into which the tongue filof the auxiliary track 43 may be locked for further extension of the guidegroove 40 (see Figs. 8 12), the linkage being more fully described in my co-pendingapplication Serial No.- 10,543, filed February 18, 1948, The-inner end of the socket an is a sloping shelf 92 upon which. a tapered forward portion 33 of the tongue 9i rests when the llnkage is complete. A pair of short verticalslots 33in the floor of the groove 4!] provide hearings and restraints for a front pivot pin whichtransfixes the tongue 9! ad jacentits taperedportionm93s At-the open end of the socket 98 there isfa thrust shelf 93 which engages, when the linkageis completedrthe up-' ward-thrusting thrust blocks Mien either side: of the rear of the tongue 9!; slot 34 and the thrust shelf 95 (are at substantially the same level, are the bottom ofothei The manner of makingthejuncture is as fole lows: the tracks 42 and 43 are held at anangle such as that shown inrFig; 10,; to permit clearance of the parts, and the tongue 9| is slid intoi the socket 93, the pin 35 being slidalong in the wide portion 45 of the grooveiiflwuntil it-falls down into the slots 94' Then the tracks are row tated relatively to each other, usingthe pin 95 andslots 'as pivot andhearing, until the tracks are aligned asshown inFig. fig andnin dotted; lines, in Fig. 10. At that time, the thrust blocks 91 engage the thrust shelf 36 and the forward portion 93 of the tongueterests on" the tapered shelf i-l3lpreventin further movementand align-q ing the grooves ml. The-disposition of forces, enhanced by gravity andby aload pressingldown, To disconnect the pieces, allivthat is needed is to rotate the-tracks in the reverse direction, lift thepin 95 fromthe slots M'andslide it outalong thel groove-ifin The pair of auxiliary tracks-43 are spaced apart by an axle [00 (see Figie2) :which iswheldg bya universal swivel joint 10lsonwtheiinsideiedge. of one of thehuxiliary tracks 43.: Inthe otherh traclp 43 'a short shaft I02 is journaled foro free' rotation, its inside end H33 being a sockettin which the "other end of the axle may the-1 locked and held steadywhen the 3 tracks 43 aretbeingl used at itsother end. Whenthe auxiliarytracks 43 rare'to be removed from the connectingrtracks 42 "and stowecl'iin; the truck- H] mor stored at the warehouseithe end ofwthe -=ax1e-:-l 00 is t-withdrawn:

The bottomlofvther from the socket I03 and folded in against its track 43.

The universal joint I01 is at one end of a shaft I04 which passes through to the other side of the track 43 and terminates in a keyed end I05. To each of the shafts I02 and I04 is keyed a gear I00, in all respects like the gears 53, and, like them, disposed in a recess in or opening through the bottom of the groove 40 so as to be able to drive the rack 33. If desired, additional gears I01 may be placed in a slot adjacent the end of the tracks 43 so that the racks 33 can be driven out to or in from the very end of the tracks 03. In that event, a chain I is preferably provided, to engage sprockets I09 on the shafts which support the gears I00 and I01, and thereby to link the gears I01 to the drive shaft I02. One or more studs H0 are provided on the outside edge of the track 43 which holds the axle I00 and shaft I02 and upon it, or them, the sockets 51 of the gear box 55 may be placed. The socket 5B is then placed on the keyed end I05 of the shaft I02, so as to drive both sets of gears I06 and I01.

The operations of loading and unloading are made very simple by this invention. The truck need not be aligned to the dock with especial care; in fact, as shown in Fig. 1, it possible to transfer the load directly to the ground level. For this purpose, when the load is on the truck, the connecting tracks 42 on both sides of the truck. I0 are unlocked from their perpendicular position by raising the eccentric wheel '63 out of the I4. An auxiliary track 03 is linked. to each of the two tracks 02, by inserting the tongue 9| in the socket 90 and sliding the pin along the groove 45 until it falls in the slots M. Then thetwo tracks 42 and 43 are swung relatively to each other about the pin 05 until blocks 0i bear against thrust shelves 90 and the tongue 03 rests on its shelf 92. In this position, the tracks 43 are lowered until their far ends rest on the ground or the deck. The axle I00 is then swung out and locked in the socket I03.

Next, the gear box 55 is placed near a track: juncture, one of its sockets 5! engaging the stud 56 and its socket 58 keyed in the shaft end 53. A crank or power tool is placed in the input socket 6i, and thereby the axle 5i is rotated. As the gear 53 turns, it engages the Morse chain 38 and moves the flexible racks 33 along the grooves 40. At the same time the platform H is moved, its rails being keyed to the blocks on the racks 33 and moving along the groove neck 44.

If ,the tracks 42 and 43 are downwardly inclined (Figs. 1 and 7), the racks 33 follow the grooves down, and the rails 30 continue level, above the rack, (as shown in solid lines in Fig. 7) until the center of gravity of the load is passed. Then the load pivots around the central block 35, the rear notches 34 leave the blocks on the portion of the rack which is still level and the forward notches 34 passdown over and engage the forward, inclined blocks 35. (This position is shown in dotted lines in Fig. '7.) Once this critical position is passed, the platform -II is inclined with the racks 33 and is carried on 8 with their blocks 35. After the center of the platform passes over thevertex of the angle,

the central notches 34 begin to lower and gradually interlock with their blocks 35 again.

When the racks 33 are past the gears 53, the box 55- may be moved to drive the shafts I02 and I04 to the axle I00, so that the racks 33 will be driven by the gears I06 and I01. When the platform II approaches the end of the tracks 43 the forward pair of casters I2 may be lowered so that further movement along the track will bring these casters into contact with the floor and support the front part of the platform II as it lifts off the racks 33, with the rear block still engaging the rear notch. The racks 33 are then moved forward again, pushing the platform II along. The casters I2 are self-alignin so that there is no need for the operator to stop and turn them to guide the platform. When the rear end of theplatform nears the end of the racks 33, the rear pair of casters [2 are lowered so that further movement along the track will bring these casters into contact with the. floor and support the platform II above the racks. Then the platform may be wheeled wherever desired. The loading operation is the same as the unloading operation, with the steps being taken in reverse order.

As shown in Fig. 1 the load may be lowered from the vehicle. chassis all the way to ground level, provided the ground is hard enoughfor the wheels to sustain the load. While the device ,-.-has been described in connection with a truck or trailer chassis, it is intended to be used on all types of vehicles, including sleds, boats, railway cars, airplanes, rockets, etc. It requires no special kind of chassis, The flexible rack drive unit 43 can even be used for transferring a. platform II from or to aunit which has no special tracks 4| to receive the rack. In this case the wheels or skids on the platform support the load until it is taken over by the auxiliary track '43. This feature is especially important in the changeover period when all the vehicle units have not yet, had the tracks 4| installed.

The flexible rack 33 can be utilized in other environments where it is desired to move a weight over an uneven surface. Power can be applied through the gears I06 to the rack, regardless of the position or path of the weight and at all times the weight is under control.

I claim:

.1. A freight-handling device, including n combination, a plurality of parallel spaced main tracks secured to the body of a transporting vehicle; a corresponding plurality of similarly shaped auxiliary tracks adapted to be connected to either end of said main tracks; a corresponding plurality of flexible racks; means in said tracks to guide and restrain said racks for linear movement along the tracks; means connected to said tracks for driving said racks; and a platform having a plurality of spaced-apart base rails corresponding in number to and keyed to said. racks for linear movement therewith.

2. The device of claim 1, in which said platform also has a plurality of retractable casters, adaptable to support the platform when said platform is unloaded from said device, so that theplatform can thereby be lifted off and rolled away from said tracks.

.3. A freight-handling device,including in combinationa pair of parallel spaced main tracks secured to the body of a transporting vehicle, each track having along its upper surface a .{ehannelportiqn .wof said to;,be connected to either end of saidzmaintracks; a pair i of; 1 flexible racks each slidable in and guided l by the; -wide, channel portion of, said grooves; means associatedwith; saidatracksl tor driving," saidtracks ini said grooves; and a plat form having a pair of spaced-apart base rails slidable within-line zuppermarrower portion of .said grooyescand keyable .to, the upper ,portion. of said "rates for linear movement" therewith.

4. The device of claim 3, in whichthe platform hasa plurality er "retractable casters, adaptable to support the platform when :SELld platform is l unloaded from 1 said device,: 50" that the platform can thereby'lberlifted off andrrolled away ffrom said tracks. l, l a

- -15. .Thezdevice claimed in .rcla-ima3, in whichrsaid flexible racks eachcomprisela Morse type 'ofudrive chain fixed to the bottom of a flexible strip of spring metal.

6. The device claimed in claim 3, in which each rail is keyed to its rack by a means restrictin relative axial linear movement while permitting relative vertical and axial swinging movement.

'7. The device claimed in claim 6, in which the keying means consist of a plurality of matching blocks and notches, said notches having suflicient clearance for the blocks so that the rails and racks are keyed even when the flexible rack is passing around the vertex of an angle while said rail remains rigid and straight.

8. A freight-handling device, including in combination a pair of parallel spaced main tracks secured to the body of a transporting vehicle, each track having along its upper surface an inverted T groove; a pair of similarly grooved auxiliary tracks adapted to be connected to either end of said main tracks; a pair of flexible racks each slidable in and guided by the T-arrn section of said grooves; means associated with said tracks to drive said racks in said grooves; and a platform having a pair of spaced-apart base rails slidable within the leg portion of said grooves and keyable to said racks for linear movement therewith.

9. A freight loading, carrying, and transferring device comprising a pair of parallel spaced grooved main tracks; a pair of similarly grooved connecting tracks pivotally secured to each end of said main tracks; a pair of similarly grooved auxiliary tracks adapted to be connected to either pair of said connecting tracks; a pair of flexible racks slidable in and guided by the grooves of said tracks; means in said tracks to hold said racks in said grooves; and a platform having a pair of spaced-apart based rails slidable in the grooves of said tracks and keyable to said racks for linear movement therewith.

10. The device claimed in claim 9, in which the connecting tracks are adapted to be disengageable from the auxiliary tracks and liftable into a position where they can be locked to hold the platform steady on the main tracks during transport.

11. The device claimed in claim 10, in which the connecting tracks are held in looking position by a disc held on said connecting track and rotatable about an eccentrically located locus and movable into and against a cam connected to said platform.

12. A flexible driving member for use in a freight-handling device employing a plurality of spaced-apart grooved tracks,., propelling means associated therewith, and a platform with a corresponding plurality of similarly spaced base rails havingkeying means on their lower surfaces; said flexible driving member comprising a flexible resilient strip having on itsupper surface keying means corresponding to the keying means on said rail and on its lower surface means adapted to be driven by said propelling means.

13. A flexible driving member for use in a freight-handling. device employing. a plurality of spaced-apart grooved tracks, propelling .means associated therewith, ands, platform with a corresponding .pluralityof similarly spaced base rails having keying means on their lower surfaces;

saidwflexible driving member comprising a flexi- ;b1e resilient strip having on its upper surface :keyingzmeans corresponding to the keying means on said rail and: on its-lower surface gear teeth adapted to be drivenbysaid propelling means.

14. A flexible driving member for use in a freight-handling device employing a plurality of spaced-apart grooved tracks, propelling means associated therewith, and a platform with a corresponding plurality of similarly spaced base rails having keying means on their lower surfaces; said flexible driving member comprising a flexible resilient strip having on its upper surface keying means corresponding to the keying means on said rail and a gear tooth type of chain secured to the lower surface of said strip.

15. A flexible driving member for use in a freight-handling device employing a plurality of spaced-apart grooved tracks, propelling means associated therewith, and a platform with a corresponding plurality of similarly spaced base rails having stud-receiving notches on their lower surfaces; said flexible driving member comprising a flexible, resilient strip having a plurality of studs on its upper surface and a gear-tooth type of chain secured to the lower surface of said strip.

6. A flexible driving member for use in a freight-handling device employing a plurality of spaced-apart grooved tracks, propelling means associated therewith, and a platform with acorresponding plurality of similarly spaced base rails having notched lower surfaces; said flexible driving member comprising a metallic strip, a plurality of keying blocks secured to the upper surface of said strip, and a gear-tooth type of chain secured to the lower surface of said strip.

17. A flexible driving member for use in a freight-handling device employing a plurality of spaced-apart grooved tracks, propelling means associated therewith, and a platform with a, corresponding plurality of similarly spaced base rails having notched lower surfaces; said flexible driving member comprising a metallic strip, a plurality of keying blocks secured to the upper surface of said metallic strip, a cushioning strip secured to the lower surface of said metallic strip and a gear-tooth type of chain secured to the lower surace of said metallic strip.

18. A flexible driving member for use in a freight-handling device employing a plurality of spaced-apart grooved tracks, propelling means associated therewith, and a platform with a corresponding plurality of similarly spaced base rails having notched lower surfaces; said flexible driving member comprising a strip of spring metal, a plurality of keying blocks secured to the upper surface of said metal strip, a strip of cushioning material secured to the lower surface of said metal strip, and a chain of the gear-tooth type 11 secured to the lower surface of said cushioning strip.

19. A transporting member for use in a trackway having a propelling means associated therewith, comprising a flexible rack slidable along said trackway and drivable by said propelling means.

20. The transporting member claimed in claim 19, in which the flexible rack comprises a flexible, resilient strip having teeth on its underside to engage with said propelling means,

21. The transporting member claimed in claim 19, in which the flexible rack has interlocking means on its upper surface to engage an element to be moved. Y a

22. A driving member for use with an undulating trackway having propelling means associated therewith, comprising a flexible rack slidable along and comformable to said trackway and engageable by said propelling means. i

23. A conveyor system especially suitable for movement along a non-level path comprising a trackway in which some sections lie at a different slope from other sections, propelling means associated therewith, and a flexible rack slidable along and conformable to said trackway and drivable by said propelling means.

HAROLD R. JARVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 20,760 Ludington June 14, 1938 777,020 Hampton Dec. 6, 1904 1,261,967 Stoltze Apr. 9, 1918 2,266,791 Norbom Dec. 23, 1941 20 2,467,354 Baldwin Apr. 12, 1949 

